ARTEMIS LARCENA
"How's it going on your side?" I asked Illian through the communication device while driving on the motorcycle.
Kitang kita ang paglubog ng araw mula rito at damang dama ko rin ang lamig ng malakas na hanging tumatama sa balat ko. Kahit na nakakakalma ang tanawin, kabaliktaran n'yon ang nararamdaman ko.
I'm unsure about how I feel right now. This is the second time I've done something so reckless. Hindi ko alam kung anong tumatakbo sa utak ni Clea ngayon pero kung ano man ang balak niya, paniguradong hindi 'yon maganda.
That girl's head is always full of mischiefs. As long as it's something entertaining, she wouldn't hesitate to do something crazy.
"Hinahack ko pa ang security ng bahay niya pero may kumokontra sa'kin...Shit, si Axl ba 'to?...Wait lang," Illian answered.
"Why? What's wrong?" I asked. Tanging tunog lang ng keyboard ang naririnig ko sa kabilang linya.
"It looks like someone's attacking him using malware virus after he destroyed a firewall earlier," Klion was the one who answered this time.
It looks like Illian's having trouble breaching her security. At mukhang hinire pa ni Clea si Axl ngayon.
That idiotic boy's neutrality is annoying, sometimes.
"Can you do it in five minutes? Malapit na ako."
I'm only one kilometer away from Clea's house.
"...Susubukan ko," Illian replied.
Binagalan ko ang pagpapatakbo ko pagkatapos ay inihinto ko na rin ang sasakyan, ilang metro mula sa bahay ni Clea.
Once I hid the vehicle where no one can see it, I walk towards Clea's house. Huminto ako nang medyo malapit na ako sa bakod niyang gawa sa bakal at semento.
I know that there are some kind of sensors she put in here. That girl is obsessed with her security kaya hindi malabong gawin niya 'yon.
Should I just knock on her gate and face her directly? Nah, that would be boring. And besides, kapag ginawa ko 'yon medyo mahihirapan akong makuha ang hard drive.
Tahimik sa lugar na 'to; medyo malayo sa siyudad kaya naman iilan lang ang nadaanan kong bahay habang papunta rito. Puro puno na sa paligid kaya naman umakyat ako sa isang mataas na puno para pagmasdan ang paligid ng bahay niya.
I've only been here for one time but I still remember a lot of important details.
Two-story lang ang bahay niya pero may underground floor pa ito. Sa pagkakaalam ko, may alaga din siyang white tiger na pagala-gala lang sa loob ng bakuran niya.
Just as I was thinking of that creatue, my eyes caught sight of a big, white, fluffy-looking thing. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. Natutulog ito ngayon sa ilalim ng nag-iisang puno sa bakuran ni Clea. Kung titignan mo, mukha itong maamo pero balita ko, ilan na ang napatay niyon.
Ibinaling ko naman ang paningin ko sa garahe.
The garage has a security that can only be opened by Clea. Her house is so high-tech that it almost felt like this place is not part of the Philippines anymore.
Napakunot-noo ako nang may mapansin akong kakaiba sa garahe.
"Her car is not here. Nasaan siya ngayon?" I asked. Kahit na malayo ay nakikita ko pa rin ang maliliit na detalye sa malayuan.
"I heard that she's at the Organization today. Apparently, the boss called her to discuss something."
"Hahaha, bulok na ang hacking skills ni Axl! Ang bobo! Hahahaha!" rinig kong sigaw ni Illian na sinamahan pa ng malakas na tawa.
"Artemis, it's done." ani Klion.
"Okay, I'm heading in now."
Pinagmasdan ko pa nang ilang minuto ang paligid bago tuluyang tumalon papunta sa kabilang bahagi ng bakod. Nang walang ibang nangyari matapos kong tumapak sa lupa ay nagpatuloy na ako. Mabilis pero maingat akong pumunta sa likod, iniingatan na hindi magising ang alaga ni Clea.
"Sa balcony na lang ako dadaan. I heard that her security lock is advanced, find a way to unlock it," utos ko.
"Sure!" Illian enthusiastically replied.
Naghanap ako ng makakapitan sa pader pagkatapos ay bumwelo ako nang talon upang abutin ang isang railing sa balcony.
Jumping that high from the ground is an easy feat. Hindi normal ang lakas ko kung ikukumpara sa ibang tao kaya naman hindi nakapagtataka na kaya kong gawin 'yon.
Once I grabbed one of the handles, I pulled myself up and landed on the balcony at the second floor. I pushed open the balcony door and walked inside her room. Tinignan ko muna nang ilang minuto ang lock ng pinto bago ibinaling sa ibang bagay ang paningin ko.
Illian was the one who opened that?
Pinasadahan ng tingin ang loob ng kwarto. Mukhang normal naman ang lahat. There's no sign of anyone inside the house but I know better than anyone that this quietness doesn't bring any good.
Makalipas ang kalahating oras ay nalibot ko ang buong bahay ni Clea para hanapin ang daan papuntang underground floor pero wala pa rin akong nakikita. When I first visited this place, she only took me to the living room so I have no clue about the location of the entrance to the underground room.
"Do you have any clue about the entrance to that place?"
"It's at the fireplace. You need to go inside it." Sagot ni Klion mula sa kabilang linya.
"Kalahating oras na ako dito tapos ngayon mo lang naisipang sabihin 'yan?"
"You didn't ask."
Lumapit ako sa fireplace na nasa living room at in-inspeksyon 'yon.
Walang tao sa bahay na 'to pero nakasindi ang fireplace?
Ramdam ko ang init habang lumalapit ako dito. It doesn't look like it's fake.
"Are you kidding me? The fire is real!" sagot ko sa kanya.
"It's not," tanggi niya pa. A smile formed on my lips once he said that.
"Klion."
"What?"
"Nothing."
He told me that he doesn't know where Clea's house is and now he's sure about the entrance to her underground room?
"I'm gonna get back at you once I get out of here alive." I whispered, enough for him not to hear.
Tinitigan ko muna sandali ang fireplace bago tuluyang pumasok sa loob nito.
Nakakapaso ang init ng fireplace pero hindi man lang ako naapektuhan niyon. Sa oras na tumapak ako sa loob nito ay bigla na lang bumukas ang sahig.
It's a good thing that I'm always prepared for surprises such as these, that's why I landed perfectly fine once my feet hit the ground.
Iba't ibang kakaibang gamit ang bumungad sa'kin sa oras na ilibot ko ang paningin ko sa paligid.
So this is Clea's workroom.
Malawak ang workroom niya. Kompleto rin sa kagamitan. It almost looked like her workroom at Clandestine; ang kaibahan lang ay mas maraming gamit ang nandirito.
Ngunit ang mas nakaagaw ng pansin ko ay ang bagay na nasa-loob ng isang malaking tube sa gina ng kwarto.
Gusto ko sanang lumapit para makita ito sa malapitan pero nasa-loob ako ngayon ng isa ring malaking transparent na glass tube.
It doesn't look like it's bullet proof so I know that this will be easy to break. Mukhang walang balak si Clea na i-restrain ako kaya sa ganito niya ako inilagay.
But what's the point?
"Klion, siguraduhin mo lang na hindi ako mapapahamak dito, or else," banta ko.
"..."
"Bakit anong nangyayari?" singit ni Illian.
"Nothing," sagot naman ni Klion sa kanya.
"Even if this is a set-up, you're still going to pay me," paalala ko.
I heard a deep sigh before he replied, "...Sure," unwillingly.
"Sinet-up mo siya!?"
"Don't ask, and I'm cutting the communication off. Bye D05."
"Hoy, sandali..."
Pagkatapos niyon ay wala na akong narinig mula sa kanila. He really cut off our communication.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit pumayag makipagsabwatan si Klion kay Clea. That guy was never desperate for money, but still, I don't know what is going on inside that head of his.
"Ang sikip dito," reklamo ko.
Kahit na gawa sa salamin ang tube, alam kong mas matibay ito kumpara sa ibang glass. It's almost as sturdy as a bulletproof glass.
"I guess I have no other choice then."
Inilabas ko ang baril na ibinigay sa'kin ni Klion at itinutok ito sa salamin.
The bullet won't retract, right?
Saktong pipindutin ko na ang gatilyo nang biglang nagkaroon ng pintuan sa pader sa kaliwang bahagi ng kwarto. Lumabas mula roon si Clea kasama ang alaga niya.
"What the fvck are you doing, D05!?" bulyaw niya.
Her eyes are widened while looking at the gun.
"Masyadong masikip dito, I want to get out," sagot ko naman sa kanya.
"Why do you need a gun? One bullet from that thing can shatter my whole transportube!" she exclaimed.
"Transpor- what?"
"Transportube, a tube that can transport you upstairs. Duh, it's in the name."
"Paano naman ako makakalabas? This thing has no door or a doorknob."
"That thing is voice-activated. Masyado ka lang talagang ignorante kaya hindi mo alam."
Nang sabihin niya 'yon ay ibinaba ko na ang baril pero hindi ko pa ito itinago.
One of the rules of survival is to never let your guard down even in front of an angel. Hindi ka dapat magpakakampante kahit na mukhang maamo ang kalaban. I've learned that the harshest way possible.
"Transpotube, baby~ Open uup~," she said sweetly and the front of the made a door-like gap.
Parang nagsitayuan ang mga balahibo ko dahil doon. I feel like I'm gonna vomit.
Out of character ang ginawa niya ngayon. Clea is usually, playful but not unbearable up to this point.
"Wow, you're sick...and disgusting," komento ko.
"Same to you, what's up with that outfit?" she asked while gauging at my outfit.
"Shut up, alam kong ikaw ang may pakana nito," I retorted.
"Hahaha."
"Now cut the crap and get down to business," I said.
Naglakad siya papunta sa tapat ng computer niya at doon umupo. Nakasunod naman sa kaniya ang alaga niya at humiga ito sa paanan niya.
"Impatient as ever. Umupo ka kaya muna nang makapag-usap tayo nang maayos," she said while gesturing at the chair in front of her table.
I hesitated at first, pero sa bandang huli ay kunot-noong sumunod ako sa sinabi niya.
"Now spill it."